A/HRC/RES/48/2
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
14 October 2021
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Forty-eighth session
13 September–11 October 2021
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council
on 7 October 2021
48/2.
Equal participation in political and public affairs
The Human Rights Council,
Guided by the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights,
Recalling all relevant international human rights treaties, in particular the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
Recalling also all relevant Human Rights Council resolutions on equal participation
in political and public affairs, in particular resolutions 24/8 of 26 September 2013 on equal
political participation, and resolutions 27/24 of 26 September 2014, 30/9 of 1 October 2015,
33/22 of 30 September 2016 and 39/11 of 28 September 2018,
Recalling further all relevant Human Rights Council resolutions on human rights,
democracy and the rule of law, in particular resolution 46/4 of 23 March 2021,
Recalling all relevant General Assembly resolutions on strengthening the role of the
United Nations in enhancing periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of
democratization, in particular resolution 74/158 of 18 December 2019,
Reaffirming that all citizens shall have the right and the opportunity, without any of
the distinctions stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
without unreasonable restrictions, to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or
through freely chosen representatives, and to have access, on general terms of equality, to
public service in their country, and to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections
which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the
free expression of the will of the electors, and reaffirming also, as set forth in article 21 (3)
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, that the will of the people shall be the basis
of the authority of government,
Reaffirming also that no distinctions are permitted among citizens in the enjoyment
of the right to participate in the conduct of public affairs on the grounds of race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other
status, or on the basis of disability,
GE.21-14805(E)